The Gift of the Magi
by Catherine Antrim
Summary: a new version of this classic christmas story


Disclaimer- i dont own Moulin ROuge or the original Gift of the Magi  
  
AN- thanks yous to hindi sad diamonds and tani :)  
  
Janice- thank you for the wonderful review. i have made some changes and i'm still working on it. this was just ment to be a nice present for you all for christmas and i didn;t really plan on coming back to it but your review was so good and direct that i was inspired to come back to it. and the the thing with the ink, i dont really have a clue how type writers work. in fact i know sickeningly little about the late 1800's. thank you very much and i was very flattered by your compliments and even more that you took the time to help me edit it.  
  
~Alanna  
  
It hadn't snowed yet, but had turned bitter cold and they sky was steely grey. Satine clutched her thin cloak around her shoulders, trying desperately to hold out the icy cold. as she scurried through the dirty, grey Paris streets. He purse hit against her side, reminding her that it was empty. She stopped in front of one of the nicest buildings in the area. She bit her lip and gathered all her courage before knocking on the door.  
  
The door was answered by Warner, the Dukes manservant. He didn't say a word but took Satine's cloak although she insisted on keeping her bonnet. He lead her into the study. The Duke was there and suddenly Satine had an uncontrollable urge to run and hide. Instead she thought of Christian. She held his face in her mind as she entered the room.  
  
The Duke was spread out luxuriously on a red velvet couch, dressed in a eye-popping purple dressing gown. He was picking delicately at his nails and looked up as Satine entered the room.  
  
"My dear, I thought I told you I was going away for Christmas."  
  
"Yes, indeed you did. I came to say good bye."  
  
"So nice to see you, I will miss you."  
  
"I'll miss you too, dear Duke." She said, concentrating harder on the image of Christian's face.  
  
"I wish I had something to remember you by, until I return." Satine smiled and pulled out a package from her pocket. She handed it to the Duke.  
  
"50 francs and it's yours." The duke opened the brown paper and gasped. He stroked the contents lovingly for a moment and then called Warner.  
  
"Get Satine 50 francs from my safe," Warner left briefly and returned with a pouch. He handed it to Satine, who counted it quickly and then put it in her purse. "Would you like a cup of tea love?"  
  
"I wish I could but I really must be going now, rehearsals." She kissed his hand and went to get her cloak. Outside she fled as fast as her legs could carry her back to her garret. There she threw her purse haphazard on a chair and began to undress. Just being in the Duke's presents made her feel dirty all over. She threw her clothes on the bathroom floor and ran a bath. Lastly she pulled off her bonnet, wincing at her reflection in the mirror. Her elbow length hair was now cut unevenly up to her ears and stuck out in al directions. She wanted to cry but she didn't let herself. She had done it for Christian. She had sold it to the Duke so she could buy Christian a Christmas present.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Christian looked from the bald man behind the counter to his precious typewriter.  
  
"Surely it's worth more than that!"  
  
"75 is my final offer."  
  
"But it's a very nice model!"  
  
"The A key is missing and it's old." Christian looked distraught for a minute before nodding and taking the money.  
  
"Thank you," he hoped he'd have enough to get Satine something good. He went across the street to a nice boutique that sold women's clothes. He looked at scarves and hats but it all seemed to impersonal. He wanted something that had so more meaning to it. He looked at dresses briefly, thinking how lovely Satine would look in something so fine but his stomach sank when he saw the price.  
  
He moved over to the counter and looked at Jewelry. A ring maybe, or a necklace. Diamonds were a girls best friend right? He scanned the display and then he saw it. It was perfect.  
  
"Can I help ye sir?" Said the woman at the counter.  
  
"I'll take that one please." He pointed. The woman smiled.  
  
"Good choice, who's the lucky girl?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
On Christmas morning Satine work early and found that the fire had gone out during the night. Shivering and coughing she got up to start it again. Then she make eggs and sausage and hoped Christian would still think her beautiful. She had wrapped his present in red paper with a white ribbon and put it on the table. When she was little she's always had a Christmas tree but his year it had seemed like a lot of work for something so silly. Glancing at the clock she realized Christian would be there soon and she wasn't even dressed. Hurriedly she changed into a pretty red dress and put on pearl earrings that Zidler had given her. She brushed her hair and mourned for her long locks. Over night her short hair had become tightly curled and that only made them look shorter. She put pomade in them, trying to make it look longer. Finally she gave up and went to wait for Christian. It wasn't like him to be late.  
  
Finally he arrived only a little late. He kissed her on the cheek and pulled a gold wrapped box out of his pocket. Then he did a doubt take.  
  
"What happened to your hair?"  
  
"I cut it-" she said simply. "To buy your present." Christian frowned and sat down. Satine's heart thudded in her chest. What if he thought she was ugly? Then he laughed.  
  
"My present seems silly now." He handed it to her. "Here."   
  
"Just a moment, I'll get your present." She ran into the kitchen and grabbed it of the table. Then she returned and pulled of the gold paper. She slowly opened to box to find a lovely white barrette with a silver angel on it.  
  
"It made me think of flying away, but now-"  
  
"It'll grow back," she bit her lip, trying not to cry. But her face was wet and she was unable to hide it.  
  
"What's wrong? Satine? You're right, it'll grow back."  
  
"Nothing, I'm fine." She gave him his present. "I hope you like it, it took me forever to find it." He pulled the paper off gently and looked at her present silently. There were three different colors ink for his typewriter and an A key. "It'll fit, it's the same brand." He didn't say anything. "Don't you like it Christian?"  
  
"Satine, I sold my typewriter to buy you that Barrette." Satine opened her mouth but didn't say anything. She hoped he wasn't angry. But he was laughing.  
  
"It's not funny." She said, but she laughed too. She looked out the window, it was finally snowing. "Christian look."  
  
"Beautiful."  
  
"I love snow."  
  
"Not the snow." He pulled her close and kissed her. 


End file.
